BALLINA COAST& HINTERLAND DESTINATION MANAGEMENT PLAN 2021-2030 BALLINA COAST& HINTERLAND DESTINATION MANAGEMENT PLAN 2021-2030 PB BALLINA COAST & HINTERLAND DESTINATION MANAGEMENT PLAN 1 First published June 2020 by Ballina Shire Council, 40 Cherry Street, Ballina NSW 2478. © Ballina Shire Council 2020 DISCLAIMER The information contained in this report is intended only to inform and should not be relied upon for future investment or other decisions. It is expected that any investment decisions made using these specific recommendations will be fully analysed and appropriate due diligence undertaken. In the course of our preparation of the 2021-2030 Ballina Coast and Hinterland Destination Management Plan, recommendations have been made using information and assumptions provided by many sources and from the methodology adopted for this Plan. The authors accept no responsibility or liability for any errors, omissions or resultant consequences including any loss or damage arising from reliance on the information contained in this report. 0202 BALLINA COAST& HINTERLAND DESTINATION MANAGEMENT TABLE OF PLAN 2021-2030 CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 6 INTRODUCTION 08 DESTINATION ANALYSIS 11 destination footprint stakeholders data and documents assets and market position infrastructure communication channels unique selling proposition key imagery and footage demand from source markets and consumer segments growth potential DESTINATION DIRECTION 43 focus vision mission aim and objectives DESTINATION REQUIREMENTS 66 human resources financial resources key risks MONITORING 69 REFERENCES 69 DESTINATION MANAGEMENT PLAN 0303 Brisbane QUEENSLAND Gold Coast Tweed Heads Byron Bay Lismore BALLINA Grafton Coffs Harbour NEW SOUTH WALES Port Macquarie Taree Newcastle Sydney 0404 BALLINA COAST & HINTERLAND DESTINATION MANAGEMENT PLAN 05 BALLINABALLINA COAST&COAST& HINTERLANDHINTERLAND DESTINATIONDESTINATION MANAGEMENTMANAGEMENT PLANPLAN 2021-2030 2021-2030 BACKGROUND PHILOSOPHY PURPOSE Ballina Shire Council has prepared this Destination The purpose of this plan is to: Management Plan (DMP) following guidelines set out in Australian and NSW Government’s best practice guides. • Provide vision and strategic direction For NSW Government grant funding and investment, the for the future of the Ballina Coast and Government is interested in the most compelling business Hinterland visitor economy cases that are going to deliver on the NSW Government’s goal of increasing overnight visitor expenditure. • Enable industry stakeholders to This DMP is the next phase of destination development demonstrate strategic alignment in their and builds on the strengths of the 2014 - 2020 Ballina business plan and grant applications Coast & Hinterland Destination Management Plan (2014 • Enhance and maintain the community’s DMP). Actions within the 2014 DMP are now either shared values complete or those that required resourcing to be complete, have been put forward again to be resourced and actioned. • Enhance Ballina Coast and Hinterland’s The overall objective of the 2014 DMP was to double Unique Selling Proposition (USP) overnight visitor expenditure to $300 million by 2020. For the 2018 calendar year, visitors to the destination spent a total of $311 million. The visitor economy is an important economic driver, generating jobs and contributing vibrant lifestyle benefits to our local community. For this reason, the visitor economy needs to be considered in the broader context of regional development and ensure it is recognised for its contribution and economic value to the region. The visitor economy is heavily intertwined with other forms of regional development, such as place making or economic development. The strong platform on which to strengthen the destination’s visitor economy, due to all the current and previous efforts, is acknowledged and appreciated. 04 BALLINA COAST & HINTERLAND DESTINATION MANAGEMENT PLAN 05 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY PRIORITIES ANALYSIS The Ballina Coast and Hinterland is located STRENGTHEN COORDINATION on the North Coast of New South Wales, OF DESTINATION MANAGEMENT 230 kilometres south of Brisbane. The Shire includes the towns and villages of Ballina (main township), Alstonville, Wollongbar, Wardell and Lennox Head, and a number of hamlets and localities. RAISE THE PROFILE OF THE DESTINATION The Ballina Coast and Hinterland’s unique selling AND ITS EXPERIENCES proposition is a combination of its accessible family friendly recreational and cultural activities supported by its geography, natural assets and subtropical climate that collectively enable a safe atmosphere and scenic visual environment. ENCOURAGE INVESTMENT INTO RECREATIONAL ASSETS, Ballina Shire Council has undertaken a lot of PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AND ACCESS IMPROVEMENTS work over the previous decades to consult with community members to determine community values; and to preserve and enhance features of the built environment that make our area so Now it is time to look to 2030 and implement desirable to not only visit, but to also live and actions that will achieve the objective of attracting invest in. $450 million per annum to the destination while keeping actions aligned to community values. In 2018, the 816,000 visitors to the destination The strategy is to gain greater share of mid-week were made up of 57% day-trippers, 41% overnight visitation. This will be achieved through: domestic overnight visitors and 1.7% international visitors. The majority of day- Market penetration of existing target audiences of the Experiential Travellers, trippers are from South East Queensland and Visiting Friends and Relatives and Families Regional NSW and travelled to the area by (VFR) private vehicle. Product development to create additional Domestic visitor arrivals have fluctuated over the experiences that encourage visitor dispersal, past decade. In 2018, the destination attracted retain visitors in the area for longer and has 802,000 domestic visitors. The average length them coming back sooner of stay for an overnight domestic visitor is Market development to facilitate business between 3 and 4 nights. A need exists to even events, sporting groups and accessible the demand peaks and troughs, to encourage tourism customer segments. greater mid-week visitation where capacity remains under-utilised. 06 BALLINA COAST & HINTERLAND DESTINATION MANAGEMENT PLAN 07 BALLINA COAST& HINTERLAND DESTINATION MANAGEMENT PLAN 2021-2030 DESTINATION DIRECTION The destination offers a variety of scenic nature-based coastal attractions that are complemented by activity-based family attractions, hard and soft recreational and cultural products and hinterland village and rural farming landscapes. As our population increases, the qualities that make our destination special, such as our productive farmland and our natural environment, will need to be preserved. The Ballina Coast and Hinterland has long been viewed as a naturally beautiful, quiet, relaxing family oriented holiday area and attractive retirement location. However locals no longer view Ballina as strictly a retirement area and the Visitor Economy Product Audit confirmed the destination offers food, nature- based tourism attractions, arts, cultural and beach lifestyle experiences. Affordable accommodation, a good public domain and local infrastructure along with ease of access are also key assets of the destination allowing it to become a holiday and business events destination with broad appeal. The Visitor Economy Product Audit identified gaps in experiences as hinterland-based activities such as visiting a producer; assets to immerse people in the hinterland such as shared paths and cycleways or waterfall site embellishment; festivals and events; and more hosted authentic experiences that fit the character of the destination. Over supply of dated motel accommodation in Ballina that is indistinguishable to the consumer presents an opportunity for operators to invest in their business to revitalise and offer a unique experience to the visitor. Access to the Ballina Coast and Hinterland has been improved through major road upgrades and growth in air-traffic to the Ballina Byron Gateway Airport in recent years. The destination appeal in the domestic and international markets is unlikely to change significantly without additional substantive investment in key transport infrastructure. Road network investments and a marina are part of Council’s long-term plan and rely heavily on the NSW Government’s financial contribution and access to land. REQUIREMENTS Ballina Shire Council employs Visitor Services staff to oversee destination management and operate the Ballina Visitor Information Centre and associated visitor services and volunteer programs on behalf of the destination. However staffing levels within Council are not sufficient to assume full responsibility to carry forward each and every action listed in this DMP. In-kind and financial support from stakeholders and community interest groups needs to be contributed to carry the destination’s tourism agenda forward. Financially, in order to carry this plan forward, a number of revenue streams have been identified to enable the implementation of actions. Not all identified actions are the responsibility of Council therefore private investment is required. This DMP is available for industry stakeholders to demonstrate strategic alignment in their own business plans for grant funding applications. A range of risks have been identified, including internal and external factors that could impact on the delivery